TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal)

TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal) was set up in May 2000 by the government of India. The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal was set up so that it can adjudicate over disputes that arise in the telecommunication sector.

TDSAT was established with the view to protect the interest of the consumers and service providers of the telecommunication sector and also to encourage and ensure the growth of the telecommunication sector. The registered office of TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal) is located in Delhi consisting of a chairperson and two members. The qualification of the chairperson of TDSAT is that he has to be either the chief justice of a High Court or a judge of the Supreme Court. The qualification of the other 2 members of Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal are that he must have been in the post of Secretary to the Indian government for a period of 2 years or he must have extensive knowledge in the field of telecommunication, commerce, industry, and technology. The chairperson and other members of the TDSAT are liable to hold office for a term of 3 years.

The various functions of TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal) are that it can adjudicate any disputes that arise between a group of consumers and service providers, a licensee and a licensor, and also between two or more than the service providers. The government of India opened the telecom sector to the private enterprise in the 1990s and this has given a major boost to this sector. A great variety of telecom services such as voice mail, audio text services, mobile services, electronic mail, and data services are now available to the consumers. As many service providers entered the telecommunication sector in the country an appellate tribunal such as TDSAT was required to settle the disputes that arise all to often due to the intense competition in the sector.

In the TDSAT, any person, local authority, state government, or central government for the adjudication of a dispute can file cases. The power and function of Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal includes that it can hear the appeal and also dispose appeals that are against any order, direction, or decision of the TRAI. The person or government authority has to file an appeal with the time period of 30 days, which is counted from the date on which they have received a copy of the order that has been made by TRAI. TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal) may hear an appeal after the lapse of the 30 days time period if it is satisfied that there are sufficient reasons for not filling an appeal within the time period.

In TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal), an appeal can be filed by filling up the standard application form, which is available on line in the website of the Appellate Tribunal. The Miscellaneous Application or Petition or Appeal has to be duly supported by a sworn affidavit. Once the case has been filed in the TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal), the chairperson and the members hear it. The case can be disposed off at the very 1st hearing itself or the opposition party can be ordered to file a reply within the time period that has been fixed. When the pleadings have been completed, the case is finally heard by the TDSAT and then disposed off.

TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal) thus, has been set up so that it can settle all kinds of disputes that arise in the telecommunications sector in India. This will help the telecommunications sector in India to grow and prosper.